The MacBook Pro line of laptops have long been popular with folks looking for, well, a “pro” machine that can get work done. But a lot of fans of earlier MacBook Pro laptops have expressed disappointment with this year’s models.
While many had been waiting for Apple to launch models with updated processors, they were underwhelmed by some of the other limitations: there’s no SD card slot. The only ports are USB Type-C ports. And the laptop is only available with up to 16GB of RAM.
There’s nothing Apple can do about the missing SD card slot (coveted by photographer) for now… the company is making one concession: Apple is cutting prices for its USB Type-C adapters through the end of the year.
USB Type-C ports can be used for power and data transmission. That means any of the ports on a 2016 MacBook Pro can be used as a power jack, a display port, or for connecting peripherals… but if you’ve got gear that’s designed for HDMI, VGA, Thunderbolt 2, or USB Type-A connectors, you may need an adapter.
Eventually as more and more computer makers make the move to USB-C, we’ll probably see more accessories designed for the new ports. For now, you may need a bunch of dongles to use your existing gear with your new laptop.
Apple’s price cuts could help ease the pain of transition… at least for folks who buy accessories in the next two months.
Here are the price cuts for some of Apple’s accessories.
- USB Type-C to Type-A adapter goes from $19 to $9
- Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter drops from $49 to $29
- 1 meter USB Type-C to Lightning cable goes from $25 to $19
- 2 meter USB Type-C to Lightning cable price drops from $35 to $29
- Multi-port adapter with HDMI, USB, and USB Type-C ports is now $49 (down from $69)
- Multi-port adapter with VGA, USB, and USB Type-C ports is now $49 (from $69)
Third-party USB Type-C products sold by Apple are also getting price cuts. And if you don’t need to shop at the Apple Store, there are plenty of other places to find USB-C accessories.
via The Verge
